Vela Khumalo
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Vela Kleinbooi Khumalo | ||
| Date of birth | 20 August 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Kroonstad, South Africa | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Kaizer Chiefs DDC South Africa U17 (head coach) | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| – | Kaizer Chiefs DDC | ||
| 2024– | South Africa U17 | ||
| 2025 | South Africa A | ||
Vela Kleinbooi Khumalo (born 20 August 1977) is a South African teacher and soccer manager who is the current head coach of the Kaizer Chiefs DDC team and the South Africa national under-17 soccer team.
Personal life
Khumalo is a teacher by profession and is the principal at Nooitgedacht Primary School and holds a CAF A coaching license.[1]
Managerial career
Kaizer Chiefs Academy
Khumalo led the Kaizer Chiefs Diski Challenge team to their maiden PSL Reserve title in the 2024/25 season.[2]
South Africa A
In June 2025 he was appointed the coach of the South Africa A team for 2025 COSAFA Cup where they finished as runners-up to Angola.[3][4]
South Africa under-17
He coached the team at the 2025 COSAFA U-17 Cup when the team won their first title since 2020 and qualified for the 2026 U-17 AFCON. He then lead the South Africa under-17 to their first knockout round at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[5][6]
Honours
South Africa
- COSAFA Cup: Runners-Up: 2025
- COSAFA U-17 Cup: 2025
Kaizer Chiefs Development
- PSL Reserve: 2024/25
References
- ^ Gwegwe, Siseko (2025-11-13). "Chiefs coach working as a qualified teacher at night". The South African. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ "Depleted Kaizer Chiefs crowned league champions after impressive win over Magesi FC | Goal.com South Africa". www.goal.com. 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ "Vela Khumalo finds positives for Hugo Broos after COSAFA final defeat | soccer". SABC. 2025-06-16. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ OFM. "Khumalo will coach the South African COSAFA Cup team in Bloemfontein". OFM. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ Ndubane, Khaya (2025-11-10). "Khumalo 'over the moon' after Amajimbos reach World Cup last-32". The Citizen. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ Mulaudzi, Sandile (2025-11-02). "We have been waiting for this moment – Khumalo ahead of FIFA U17 World Cup opener". South African Football Association. Retrieved 2025-12-02.